walkhighlands

This board helps you to share your walking route experiences in England and Wales... or overseas.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Red Screes from Scandale

Red Screes from Scandale


Postby poppiesrara » Mon May 28, 2012 11:50 pm

Wainwrights included on this walk: High Hartsop Dodd, Little Hart Crag, Middle Dodd, Red Screes

Hewitts included on this walk: Little Hart Crag, Red Screes

Date walked: 25/05/2012

Time taken: 3.75

Distance: 16.25 km

Ascent: 990m

3 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

A day among the less-visited of the Eastern Fells, in heat that made a gentle-looking route rather a test.

Red Screes.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


There’s what might be quite a ‘secret’ little free parking area halfway up the Kirkstone road from Ambleside – certainly there was no-one there either at the start or end of this walk even on a day when the town below was buzzing with early summer crowds. From there, after a short drop down the road, the walk up Scandale is long and gradual, through woodlands and then out into the broad flat valley – green pastures, split by drystone walls and sheepfolds, and enclosed by gentle slopes, this feels very like Yorkshire. The final ascent to the nice rocky tops of Little Hart Crag is steeper but shortish, and probably felt rather tougher in the heat than it really is.
Red Screes 001.jpg
Wansfell Pike from the walk start

Red Screes 004.jpg
Over Ambleside to Loughrigg Fell & the Coniston Fells

Red Screes 006.jpg
Nab Scar & the west of the Fairfield Horseshoe

Red Screes 014.jpg
High Sweden Bridge in Scandale

Red Screes 015.jpg
Low & High Pikes over Scandale Beck

Red Screes 019.jpg
Back towards Windermere from Scandale

Red Screes 020.jpg
Little Hart Crag (right of centre)

The stroll on wet grass down to High Hartsop Dodd is one of those that puts you in two minds about the ‘bagging’ instinct: from the valley this looks a dramatic peak and probably quite a fulfilling climb, done as a ‘tick’ from above it’s perhaps rather less worthwhile although there are good views down to Brothers Water and especially up to the dramatic side of Dove Crag.
Red Screes 038.jpg
Red Screes NW face - the route to Middle Dodd just visible as a faint green line rising up to the left

Red Screes 044.jpg
Dove Crag over Hoggett Gill

Red Screes 045.jpg
Stony Cove Pike over the Kirkstone Pass

Red Screes 046.jpg
Middle Dodd & Red Screes from near High Hartsop Dodd

Red Screes 049.jpg
Brothers Water & the Angletarn Pikes from High Hartsop Dodd

I took a contouring route from there back to Scandale Pass and across the fellside to Middle Dodd – the latter part unexpectedly rough, constantly up and down over the little gorges formed by the rivulets issuing from Red Screes and then quite steep up to the col. For a while this felt rather like an offpath mistake that almost no-one else would make, until I turned with some shame to see two walkers at least twice my age making apparently light work of almost exactly the same line! Middle Dodd itself is rather an attractive little spur-end peak, and the route from there to Red Screes close to the steep crags is charming, worth the earlier slog.
Red Screes 058.jpg
Red Screes from Middle Dodd

Red Screes 061.jpg
Place Fell & Brothers Water over Middle Dodd

Red Screes 070.jpg
Southern fells over the little tarn by Red Screes summit

Red Screes 072.jpg
St Ravens Edge and Ill Bell behind the Kirkstone Pass Inn

Wainwright calls the south ridge of Red Screes ‘the easiest way down’ in the Lakes and – while he descended a lot more (about 6 times more at the moment!) hills than I have – it’s still pretty believable; gentle and well-pathed even through what might otherwise be some rather boggy parts and with barely anything steep enough to even cause a second thought. Lovely, albeit hazy, views of Windermere and Rydal Water all the way too. Overall a very pleasant few hours, and a route that seems to have few followers – much as one might expect the hills around Windermere to be teeming with people on a day like this, they weren’t here: I saw a grand total of seven other walkers (even in the distance) all day…
Red Screes 073.jpg
Windermere from the early descent of Red Screes

Red Screes 083.jpg
Rydal Water backed by high fells
User avatar
poppiesrara
Walker
 
Posts: 1539
Munros:4   Corbetts:2
Donalds:1
Hewitts:315
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Aug 11, 2010
Location: Leicestershire

Re: Red Screes from Scandale

Postby ChrisW » Tue May 29, 2012 2:29 am

Great to see the usual high quality output P, made me laugh about the two hikers twice your age making light work of that route, that happens to me every time I go out :lol: Lovely memories of Ambleside for me as it's where I spent my first wedding anniversary. It is also where I bought my dodgy Australian bush hat that I still wear in the sun :D Great pics as always, love the shot of Dove Crag over Hoggett Gill, no doubt made all the better by the lack of tourists clogging up the paths :wink:
User avatar
ChrisW
Rambler
 
Posts: 4941
Munros:18   Corbetts:5
Fionas:3   
Sub 2000:6   
Joined: Jan 25, 2011
Location: Cochrane- Alberta - Canada

3 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Outside Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests
cron